A burgeoning discourse around history, ethnic representation, and identity politics holds notable significance in contemporary times. These elements shape the nations’ collective ethos and memory and influence day-to-day politics and community relations. India is a farrago of various distinct groups and ethnicities and a pluralistic society.

Renaming Sahibzade Martyrdom Day as Veer Bal Diwas raises concerns about diluting Sikh history and marginalizing their broader identity.

It aims to demonstrate its commitment to diversity by dedicating events and days that celebrate the heritage of several cultural and ethnic groups. In this spirit, the Veer Bal Diwas commemorating the martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh’s sons is a case in point. Though this initiative ostensibly seeks to signify an effort to celebrate a significant tangent in the Sikh historical trajectory, it is not devoid of debates and outrage.

The decision not to name this day as Sahibzade Martyrdom Day as requested by various Sikh organizations, Veer Bal Diwas has sparked questions regarding the interpretation of history, inclusivity, and true representation of Sikh identity.

Guru Gobind Singh, the Tenth Guru of the Sikhs, was a pivotal figure in the history of Sikhs and is considered second to Guru Nanak. He has immense contributions including the creation of the Khalsa (Community of the Pure). However, his name is also recorded in history because his two younger sons, Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh sacrificed their lives during the Mughal era.

For the Sikhs, it is immensely pertinent and important to make a distinction between the Sahibzade Martyrdom Day and Veer Bal Diwas as this framing reflects the dilution and marginalization of the broader ideological and historical narrative of the Sikh traditions and identity, raising concerns in an already complicated socio-political landscape.

The history of this region is a tapestry of shared struggles, violence, co-existence, and conflict across communities. Reinterpretation of history and recasting the Sikh struggles against the Mughal rule as emblematic of Sikh-Muslim discord fosters a skewed and oversimplified historical perspective and aggravates current communal fault lines.

Historical reinterpretations that foster communal fault lines risk deepening divisions rather than celebrating diversity in a pluralistic society.

Moreover, designating a day to honor an event is a way of forging a symbol, weaving it into the collective memory, thus imbuing it with lasting significance. This, in turn, has far-reaching implications, as these symbols, crafted after reducing the historical complexities to binary communal narratives divide more than they unite.

Minorities in general grapple with the issues of fair representation and identity both on the domestic and international fronts. Sikhs constitute around 20 million of the Indian populace and have significantly contributed to the country’s development.

However, they have also suffered immensely, for instance in Operation Blue Star Launched by Indira Gandhi in 1984 against the Sikhs, and have times and again expressed concerns over under-representation, perceived marginalization, and unheeded reform calls.

The 2019 farmer protests, predominantly led by Sikh farmers have highlighted the need to address legitimate public grievances instead of resorting to labels that can further alienate them. Associating the protestors with any secessionist movements or branding them as “anti-nationals” weakens the social contract and erodes the trust between the state and its citizens.

Globally also, in the past few years, the reports of surveillance of Sikh activists living abroad by the Indian state as reported by the international media, and the killing of some in Canada such as Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in the United States have added to the gulf between the Sikh community and the State.

Sikh farmers’ protests in 2019 emphasized the need to address grievances instead of resorting to alienating labels like ‘anti-national.

These actions can translate into the estrangement of a globally significant diaspora that has continually strived to preserve its heritage while positively contributing to the economy and democratic discourse of India. In light of all these developments and contingencies, the conversation around Veer Bal Diwas, when viewed through a broader lens, illustrates the difficulty of shaping narratives that unify rather than create divisions and steer clear of reductionist interpretations of history faced by many states worldwide.

By distorting Sikh history and reducing its complexities to suit a communal political agenda, the incumbent BJP risks further polarising the society’s existing divisions and endangering harmony. As projected, if the intention is to honor the country’s diversity genuinely, divisive politics must be abandoned and uphold the unique identities of all its communities, including the Sikhs.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not represent the views, beliefs, or policies of the Stratheia.